Reported in a news item published this morning by Cheshire Today – http://www.cheshire-today.co.uk – Cheshire East Council has become embroiled in a political firestorm after it emerged that its controversial Local Plan, which sees major incursions into the Macclesfield green belt, contains provision for 500 houses from the High Peak Authority.
The extraordinary deal to take the housing allocation from the peak authority appeared to be one of the key demands from Stockport Council as part of its negotiations to accept Cheshire East’s plans for a major development in Handforth which will eat into the green belt gap between the two council areas.
Stockport was concerned that additional building in the High Peak could lead to more traffic congestion along the A6 at High Lane and, therefore, damage the “air quality” enjoyed by it’s residents.
Conservative councillors stress that the deal – in a so-called Memorandum of Understanding between the two councils – will not see any additional houses built, but most of them were completely unaware of the agreement and most had still not seen it at the time of writing.
The memorandum also includes an agreement by Cheshire East to use its “best endeavours” to secure a site for Stockport’s traveller community….